what you do is you carry an 18ft lightweight aluminum ladder...strapped to your body.....wear it over yer head, resting on yer shoulders at the midpoint, perpendicular to yer belly button...

if you fall into a crevasse solo the sturdy ladder should span the crevasse and save you...now you just figure a way to clamber out

this is for real

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I think I heard about this long time ago. But practicability is an issue. When I started traversing glaciers solo I thought about some kind of protection but with passing time while my experience and confidence were growing the thoughts just faded out.

After my last crevasse experience, however, I may be wearing harness and have a couple of ice screws (and a picket for snow) easily accessible around my chest. That would have helped a lot in reducing the risk of falling deeper and lowering the stress while getting out the last time.

I still have a few ideas about some devices that might save someone from falling completely in a crevasse or help getting out once in it (as long as alive). There are situations the ice axes or ice tools may just not work no matter how strong and skilled someone is (I’ve practiced various scenarios). Therefore, the best strategy, of which I’m an advocate (sh. happens anyway), is NO FALL policy.

SeanReedy wrote:"Let's queue up some songs for those holed up in the snow with smartphones ..."

Smartphones ? Wow, is that a word now? ........ WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' SMARTPHONES

Hey, no sweat off my back worrying about what others enjoy. Adventure is fun, as well as fun to imagine, but I will admit that being all wet (or frozen) gets old after awhile in my book. Suffocating isn't any fun either, but some variations may appear better than others. Maybe you prefer this type of blizzard

SeanReedy wrote:Let's queue up some songs for those holed up in the snow with smartphones, as well as for those indoors hiding from the wind and rain. First, a somber tune; hopefully nobody will share the fate of Dan and the man this weekend:

How 'bout some blues for those stuck down in a crevasse, or for those just imagining where they could be right now.

what you do is you carry an 18ft lightweight aluminum ladder...strapped to your body.....wear it over yer head, resting on yer shoulders at the midpoint, perpendicular to yer belly button...

if you fall into a crevasse solo the sturdy ladder should span the crevasse and save you...now you just figure a way to clamber out

this is for real

-

I think I heard about this long time ago. But practicability is an issue. When I started traversing glaciers solo I thought about some kind of protection but with passing time while my experience and confidence were growing the thoughts just faded out.

After my last crevasse experience, however, I may be wearing harness and have a couple of ice screws (and a picket for snow) easily accessible around my chest. That would have helped a lot in reducing the risk of falling deeper and lowering the stress while getting out the last time.

Let me get it straight, you fell into a crevasse while soloing a glacier? And now are asking about going up there during a record breaking storm?

alpinelady1 wrote:Let me get it straight, you fell into a crevasse while soloing a glacier? And now are asking about going up there during a record breaking storm?

I’m not sure which part is difficult to understand and which to imagine. People do all kind of crazy things having a great time, near life / death experiences, an adrenaline fueled adventures. That’s true some of them get hurt but “no pain no gain.” Is not that true?

Just think about the gratitude of such an experience and accomplishment. A record storm and you are alone on the top of the mountain seeing nothing around you but white void; feeling nothing but a brutal pressure from blowing winds all over your body and icy snow sharply like a needle poking your face; walking is too difficult even with two axes or ski poles, staying still is too dangerous, you may freeze to death, so you crawl desperately feet by feet reflecting on your decision if it was worth it. You start praying regardless if you are a believer. You don’t want to die but what choices you have at that point? Any rescue is out of question. You are alone high on the mountain in a type of a blizzard that not many in the whole world would be able to survive. And that feeling boost your energy and gives strength and you fight to stay alive, to be one of a few, to get down intact. And if you do, well there are no words to express your feeling and satisfaction.

alpinelady1 wrote:Let me get it straight, you fell into a crevasse while soloing a glacier? And now are asking about going up there during a record breaking storm?

I’m not sure which part is difficult to understand and which to imagine. People do all kind of crazy things having a great time, near life / death experiences, an adrenaline fueled adventures. That’s true some of them get hurt but “no pain no gain.” Is not that true?

Just think about the gratitude of such an experience and accomplishment. A record storm and you are alone on the top of the mountain seeing nothing around you but white void; feeling nothing but a brutal pressure from blowing winds all over your body and icy snow sharply like a needle poking your face; walking is too difficult even with two axes or ski poles, staying still is too dangerous, you may freeze to death, so you crawl desperately feet by feet reflecting on your decision if it was worth it. You start praying regardless if you are a believer. You don’t want to die but what choices you have at that point? Any rescue is out of question. You are alone high on the mountain in a type of a blizzard that not many in the whole world would be able to survive. And that feeling boost your energy and gives strength and you fight to stay alive, to be one of a few, to get down intact. And if you do, well there are no words to express your feeling and satisfaction.

yep, I see where you are headed with this sort of philosophy...survive a few epics on Shasta then start giving some thought to K2

I think you are using Shasta as a sort of laboratory where you can somewhat safely test the limits of objective dangers, and see how your mind and body react to those situations...and adjust yourself to being exposed to those dangers...

and with that frame of mind you might have success on much more "serious" mountains, hence the K2 reference, if your mind and body become strong enough

and, yes, I think an "epic" is possible on Shasta (though I have never been there)

I think you are using Shasta as a sort of laboratory where you can somewhat safely test the limits of objective dangers, and see how your mind and body react to those situations...and adjust yourself to being exposed to those dangers...

and with that frame of mind you might have success on much more "serious" mountains, hence the K2 reference, if your mind and body become strong enough

and, yes, I think an "epic" is possible on Shasta (though I have never been there)